


The Proper Pure-blood Wife's Guide to House-Elf Management

by dexstarr



Series: dark arts last writer standing [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: darkarts_ldws, Gen, Malfoy Manor, Original Character Death(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-24 20:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12020172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dexstarr/pseuds/dexstarr
Summary: Narcissa had only recently married his master, but Dobby was already far too familiar with her chilly mannerisms.





	The Proper Pure-blood Wife's Guide to House-Elf Management

**Author's Note:**

> _Harry Potter_ is not mine and no profit is made from this work. Written for the LJ community [darkarts-ldws](https://darkarts-ldws.livejournal.com).

Dobby stared at his long toes, at the unicorn hair embroidered rug, at the tapestry covered walls. But try as he might to avoid his mistress’s eyes, he could feel the chill of her glare, and he nervously pulled his ears over his eyes.  
  
“Look at me, Dobby.”  
  
Reluctantly letting go of his ears, the house-elf looked up. “Yes?” he squeaked, and then hurriedly added, “Mistress?”  
  
“Tell me, elf, how long you have been serving the Malfoy family?”   
  
“S-sixty years.”   
  
Narcissa Malfoy nodded thoughtfully, her eyes focused on the tiny figure in front of her. “With so much experience, I would have thought a simple dinner party would be easy for you. But you ruined Minister Bagnold’s favorite dessert, Dobby,” she said, sighing dramatically. “Lucius was most displeased, as was I.”   
  
Dobby said nothing, trying valiantly to control his anxious trembling. His whole body was shaking in fear of the punishment he was sure was coming. “I’m sorry, Mistress,” he whispered finally, “it won’t happen again.”   
  
“No, it won’t,” she agreed, and Dobby shivered from the glacial tone of her voice. Narcissa had only recently married his master, but he was already far too familiar with her chilly mannerisms. Lucius ruled with physical abuse, but Narcissa had perfected an indifferent style of command that he found harder to bear than painful blows.   
  
Hearing a disgusted snort, Dobby cautiously glanced at the dark-haired woman sitting beside his mistress. “You should have asked Aunt Walburga for Kreacher as a wedding gift, Cissy. She trains her elves properly; Lucius doesn’t know the first thing about an obedient servant.”   
  
“That’s why you’re here to help me, Bella,” Narcissa said to her sister, a smile on her face. The two women laughed, and the sinister sound ruffled the hairs on the back of Dobby’s neck. “You killed it, didn’t you? You know how I hate getting my hands dirty.”  
  
Bellatrix nodded lazily. “Of course, Cissy. It wasn’t much sport, though. The thing was pathetic.”   
  
An uneasy feeling settled in Dobby’s stomach as he watched Narcissa’s perfectly manicured fingers — he’d painted her nails yesterday — caress the leather-wrapped handle of her wand.  
  
“ _Accio_  Libby.”   
  
Dobby simply stared as a heap of something floated into the room, blood dripping from the cloth covering it. She couldn’t — no — they wouldn’t have — but then the thing dropped with a soft whump at his feet, and Dobby’s eyes bulged in recognition.   
  
“NOOOOOOO!”  
  
“You aren’t going to ruin the truffle soufflé again, are you elf?” Narcissa asked coldly, ignoring Dobby’s hysterics.   
  
Unable to tear his eyes away from his sister’s dead, mangled body, Dobby sobbed, “N-no, M-mistress.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally written in January 2011, for Round One, Challenge Four, of [darkarts-ldws](https://darkarts-ldws.livejournal.com). The prompt was dark! _Accio_ , and Narcissa Malfoy/any canon character.
> 
> Come visit me on [tumblr!](http://galacticcoyote.tumblr.com/)


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